The Shimano Aldebaran MGL is an insanely lightweight, low profile baitcasting reel. With a weight of only 135g it fits perfectly with any lightweight BFS rod, but is equally capable of taking on heavier lures and large, powerful predators when required.
The Aldebaran MGL is one of those reels you have to actually fish with (or at least handle) to believe how light it really is, almost rivalling its BFS cousin when it comes to weight. If you are the type of angler who generally fishes with lighter lures, but also want a reel to cope with medium lures, especially in open water, this might just be what you are looking for. One use that really suits this lightweight beauty is vertical jigging. Lighter than even the lightest spinning reels, and more direct and compact, you can jig with the Aldebaran MGL for hours without fatigue.
The lightness of the Aldebaran is thanks to the magnesium construction which is used in both the HAGANE Body (with Ci4+ composite side plates) and also in the shallow spool. It’s the lightweight MGL spool with Silent Tune technology that gives this reel its casting performance, as the force required to get the spool rotating is minimal. And once it is turning it doesn’t need a heavy force to keep it turning. The result is longer casts with lighter lures. In use you can feel the benefit of the X-SHIP technology when the pressure of a large fish is on, but if you are looking for a reel suitable for continuous heavyweight, hook and hold techniques, there are other models in the Shimano range that are more suitable. This is a reel for the lightweight expert and it’s a reel that fits perfectly between a traditional baitcaster and a BFS designed model.
